Portable elevator



E. A. WHITE, JR

PORTABLE ELEVATOR arch 9, E954 Filed April 20, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 March 9, 1954 E. A. WHITE, JR

PORTABLE ELEVATOR 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 20, 1955 ATTORN EY March 9 1954 E. A. WHITE, JR

PORTABLE ELEVATOR 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed April 20, 1953 INVENTOR Edward A.Whie

Patented Mar. 9, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT oFF-Ice PORTABLE ELEVATOR Edward A. White, Jr., Mahwah, N. Y., assignor to vUnited Hoisting Company, Englewood, N. J., a corporation of New York Application April 20, 1953, .Serial No. .349,785

(C1. 1st-2) 6 Claims. 1

This invention relates to portable elevators and, more particularly, to portable elevators which can be delivered t-o the site of and raised into operative position adjacent a building structure.

In the course of erection of large building structures, vand often in the case of alteration of such structures, there is need for an elevator` for lifting 'building materials and supplies to the upper levels of the building. The most common expedient 1in .the past has been the con-struction on the site of an elevator shell or frame in which a lifting platform is positioned for raising material above ground floor levels. The construction of such an elevator structure is both expensive and time consuming, and consequently there have been proposed and built heretofore portable elevator structures which can be vdelivered to and raised at the building site. A dominant limitation on the shape and structure of such portable elevators has 'been the height of tunnel and bridge openings through which such a portable elevator must frequently pass in being brought to the building site. As a result of this 'limitation,there has been developed heretofore a portable elevator structure in the Vform of a tower which can be transported in its horizontal position, but not completely assembled with other components of the elevator, and then assembled and raised -at the building site. An externally positioned lifting platform is carried by such a tower for v-lifting materials to upper building levels. Beca-use of the exterior positioning of the elevator platform, there is considerable danger of workmen and materials 4falling oil the open sides of the platform, a hazard which in many states has necessitated building around the base o f the tower a substantial overhead vstructure to .protect the workmen.

I have now devised a portable elevator structure which not only can be readily delivered to and raised at any building site but is also characterized by the safer elevator rstructure represented by a shell or framework which encloses the elevator platform. Because of the novel mounting of this structure in its horizontal inoperative position as a trailer unit and by virtue of its novel raising mechanism, there is hereby made available to the art a completely assembled elevator structure with enclosed lifting platform y2 prises an elevator shell having an velevator 'platform positioned therewithin. The elevator shell is supported in its inoperative horizontal delivery position by a tractor connection 'means located adjacent the lower operative end of .the shell and by a wheeled trailer frame located adjacent the upper operative end of the shell. A retractable supporting element is positioned on the shell near but rearwardly of the tractor connection means, and this supporting element is adapted'to support the lower operative end of the shell at the delivery site after the tractor unit is disconfnected from this end of the shell. A pivot arm is pivotally connected at its ends, respectively, to the trailer frame `and to the .lower portion oi' the shell adjacent the retractable supporting ele-j ment. A winch is 'mounted on the trailer iframe, and a cable interconnects the .winch and the lower operative end of the elevator shell. "I'hus, when 4the cable Ais wound .on the winch, thecable pulls the lower operative end of the shell down-y wardly about the aforementioned supporting element and the end of the pivot arm connected .to the shell is forced upwardly so `as to raise the shell to its operative position.

These and other novel features of the elevator structure of my invention will be more readily understood from the following discussion taken in conjunction with the drawings in which:

Fig. 1 shows the portable elevator structure of the invention in its inoperative position for Adelivery to a building site;

Fig. 2 shows the elevator structure .at the building site ready for raising to its operative position;

Fig. 3 shows the elevator during the raising stage;

Fig. 4 shows the elevator raised to its final operative position;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the elevator shell :show-v ing a form of elevator platform which may .be used in the elevator structure of the invention; and

Fig. -6 is a side view of the .elevator platform structure vshown in Fig. 5.

The portable elevator, as shown in Fig. 1, com-v prises a completely assembled elevator structure or shell -i composed of tubular or other structural Vframe members and provided with inter nally positioned elevator platform guides ll. The lower operative end l2 0f the elevator shell, that is, the end of the shell which .is lowermost when the shell is raised to its operative vertical position, is provided with a trailer connection I3, such as a conventional kingpin for fifth wheel construction, mounted on a conventional motorized tractor unit I4. The upper operative end I5 of the elevator shell, that is, the end of the shell which is uppermostI when the shell is raised to its operative position, is supported on a wheeled trailer frame IB. The forward end of the trailer frame is provided with an upstanding U-shaped supporting arm I1 adapted to receive and support a transverse support bar I 8 secured to the underside of the upper operative end of the shell. By lashing or otherwise clamping the bar I8 in position in the U-shaped supporting arm I1, the upper operative end of the shell is securely fastened to the trailer frame. The rearward end of the trailer frame I6 is connected to the upper operative end of the elevator shell by a supporting rod 0r cable 2U. The rearward wheel 2l of the trailer frame, which advantageously has two forward wheels 22 and a single rear wheel 2|, is mounted on a supporting arm 23 which is pivoted intermediate its ends in a supporting bracket 24. When the elevator assembly is in its inoperative delivery position, the rear wheel 2| of the trailer frame is advantageously raised off the ground and is supported in this raised position by a cable 25, or the like, secured to the upper operative end of the elevator shell. The end of the rear wheel supporting bar 23 is provided with a suitable locking device, such as a hole or slot 26, so that it may be secured in its operative position to a locking bracket 21 with a pin 28, or the like, mounted on the frame. Thus, while the elevator assembly is being delivered and maneuvered into its erection site, the trailer frame IG functions as a conventional two-wheeled trailer truck. When, however, the assembly is ready for the shell Il] to be erected, the cable 25 is disconnected so as to lower the wheel 2i to its operative position and thus complete the self sufficiency of the trailer frame after the elevator shell has been raised therefrom, the wheel 2I being locked in this operative position by inserting a pin 28 in a wheel locking bracket 21.

Inasmuch as it is desirable to remove the tractor unit from the portable elevator assembly at the building site, the shell is provided adjacent its lower surface with a set of retractable supporting elements positioned near but rearwardly of the tractor connection I3. Each retractable supporting element, as shown in Figs. l and 2, comprises a wheel 30 mounted in a supporting fork 3| which, in turn, is pivotally mounted in a supporting frame 32. The supporting frame is hingedly connected to a bracket 33 on the frame of the elevator shell so that the wheel assembly, i

which is held in its retracted position shown in Fig. 1 by a lashing 34 or the like, may be lowered to its operative position shown in Fig. 2. The wheel 30 is locked in this operative position by a pin 35 securing the wheeled supporting frame to a. bracket 36 on the frame of the elevator shell. When the wheeled assembly is thus locked in its operative position, the lower operative end of the elevator shell will be supported by this wheeled assembly so that the tractor unit may be disengaged from the shell. It will be seen, accordingly, that the elevator shell is completely self-supported at this stage and that it may be readily wheeled into position for raising at the desired location adjacent a building structure.

The raising structure for the elevator shell includes a pivot arm 31 of any suitable design which will insure the strength and rigidity of the arm. One end of the arm 31 is pivotally connected, as at 38, to the forward end 0f the trailer frame I6, and the other end of the arm is pivotally connected, as at 39, to a bracket 4D mounted on the underside of the elevator shell near the retractable supporting wheel assembly. The raising structure further includes a hand winch 4I operated by a hand crank 42 and mounted on the trailer frame I6. An elevator shell raising cable 43 extends from the winch 4I to a pulley 44 mounted adjacent the lower operative end of the elevator frame, thence rearwardly to the forward end of the trailer frame IB.

When the elevator structure has been wheeled as a unit to a position such that the lower operative end I2 of the shell is directly above the ultimate location for the shell, the lashing holding the cross arm IB in the U-shaped supporting arm I1 on the trailer frame is removed, and the supporting rod or cable 20 is removed so as to leave the upper operative end of the shell free to rise away from the trailer frame I6. The hand winch 4I is then turned to wind up the cable 43 and thereby pull downwardly on the lower operative end I2 of the elevator shell so as to bring this end of the shell down into contact with the ground 45. Thereafter, continued winding of the cable 43 causes the pivoted end 39 of the pivot arm 31 to arch progressively higher, as shown in Fig. 3, while simultaneously drawing the trailer frame I 6 toward the lower operative end of the elevator shell. Winding of the hand winch 4I is then continued until, as shown in Fig. 4, the elevator shell comes to rest in a vertical position with its lower operative end I2 in the desired position on the ground.

The elevator shell I0 is provided with an elevator platform 46 and a lifting frame 41. The top draw bar 48 of the lifting frame is carried by a lifting cable 5I) which extends over pulleys 5I and 52 at the upper operative end of the elevator shell, thence downwardly around a side pulley 53 on the elevator shell and ultimately to windup drum 54 of a power winch 55 driven by a motor 5B. Operation of the power winch 55 thus controls the vertical motion of the elevator platform, and this operation may be commenced immediately after raising the elevator shell inasmuch as no rigging of the elevator lifting cable is required after the shell has been raised.

The shell structure is advantageously such that its structural side members 51 may be unbolted from the main frame of the shell at any desired point. In this way, the structural side members adjacent the lower operative end of the shell may be removed on any side of the shell convenient for loading the elevator platform, and other structural side members may be removed at appropriate levels throughout the height of the shell to permit unloading of the elevator platform at any desired level.

Although the elevator platform 46 may be of any conventional structure, and may simply ride along the platform guides II, a particularly advantageous form of guide structure is shown in Figs. 5 and 6. In this structure, the elevator platform lifting frame 58 is secured to the elevator platform 46 at each of the four corners of the latter, and the platform draw bar 48 is secured to top cross members 60 mounted at the top of the lifting frame members 58. At each of the four corners of the lifting frame there is mounted a guide wheel El adapted to engage the tubular corner frame elements 62 of the elevator shell. Thus, the main frame elements serve as guides for the elevator platform, and the platform itself is provided vwith a lifting frame only at its four smesso corners and therefore isiree of any :side obstruction, Accordinglyd 'the elevator platform structure .shownin Figs. 5 and i6 may Zoe used for .loading and unloading on vany of the three sides of the elevator shell other than :that side vwhichis devoted to the raising and elevator platform kliefting mechanism.

lWhen it is desired to lower the elevator shell preparatory to removing it from the vbuilding site, the upper end of the shell may he pulled toward the trailer fram-e by :any appropriate means such as a cable 3 connect-ed to a hand-operated winch 64 mounted on the trailer frame 116, Once the shell .has been ,pulled slightly cir :ba-lance, control over the descent of the shell 'can be maintained by paying out the raising xcable 4:3` In manner, the cable 3 and the .hand winch l may be :used to :control the -nal stages in the raising of the shellso as to prevent -theshell Hom settling uncontrollably to its vertical position.

It will be appreciated, accordingly, that the elevator structure of `my invention is not only portable but is .self-contained .in every respect including its complete enclosure of the lift platform. All this has been accomplished while nevertheless maintaining a structure which is capable of being moved through all standard height bridges and tunnels so that the portable elevator may be delivered to virtually any building site. It will also be appreciated that the elevator shell may be raised at the building site to its operative vertical position by a single man and that it does not require any structural rearrangement or completion during this raising to operative position.

I claim:

1. A portable elevator adapted to be delivered to the site of and raised into operative position adjacent a building structure, the elevator comprising an elevator shell, an elevator platform positioned within the shell, the elevator shell being supported in its inoperative horizontal delivery position by a tractor connection means located adjacent the lower operative end of the shell and by a wheeled trailer frame located adj acent the upper operative end of the shell, a retractable supporting element positioned on the shell near but rearwardly of said tractor connection means and adapted to support the lower operative end of the shell at the delivery site, a

pivot arm pivotally connected at its ends respectively to the trailer frame and to the lower portion of the shell adjacent the retractable supporting element, a winch mounted on the trailer frame, and a cable interconnecting the winch and the lower operative end of the elevator shell and thereby adapted, when the cable is wound on the winch, to pull the lower operative end of the shell downwardly and to force upwardly the end of the pivot arm connected to the shell and thus raise the elevator shell to its operative position.

2. A portable elevator adapted to be delivered to the site of and raised into operative position adjacent a building structure, the elevator comprising an elevator shell, an elevator platform positioned within the shell, the elevator shell being supported in its inoperative horizontal delivery position by a tractor connection means located adjacent the lower operative end of the shell and by a wheeled trailer frame located adjacent the upper operative end of the shell, a retractable supporting element positioned on the shell near but rearwardly of said tractor connection means and adapted to support the lower operative end of the shell at the delivery site. a

pivot arm pivotally connected at its ends respectively to the trailer frame and to the lower 'portionof theshell adjacent the 'retractable .supporting element, Ia winch mounted fon the trailerv frame, `a cable interconnecting the winch and the lower operative end of the elevator shell and thereby adapted, when the :cable Ais wound on the Winch, to pull the .lower operative end of vthe shell downwardly and to force upwardly the end of the pivot farm connected to the shell and thus raise the elevator shell to its operative position, and a power-driven winch mounted on said trailer frame for raising and .lowering the elevator platform within the shell when the shell is raised to its operative position. v

3. A portable elevator :adapted to be delivered to the side of and raised into operative position adjacent a building structure, the elevator comprising an elevator shell, an elevator *platform positioned within the shell, the elevator shell being supported in `its inoperative .horizontal delivery position by a tractor connection means located adjacent the lower operative end of the shell and by a wheeled trailer frame vlocated adjacent the upper operative end of the shell, the trailer frame having a Xed forward wheel assembly and a .retractable rearward wheel assembly so as to permit operation .of the trailer frame on only its forward wheel assembly 'dur'-4 ing delivery of the elevator to a building site, a retractable supporting element positioned-on the shell near but rearwardly of said tractor connection means and 'adapted to support the lower operative end of the shell at the delivery site, a pivot ann'pivotally vconnected lat its ends respectively to the trailer frame and to the lower portion of the shell adjacent the retractable supporting element, a winch mounted on the trailer frame, and a cable interconnecting the winch and the lower operative end of the elevator shell and thereby adapted, when the cable is wound on the Winch, to pull the lower operative end of the shell downwardly and to force upwardly the end of the pivot arm connected to the shell and thus raise the elevator shell to its operative position.

4. A portable elevator adapted to be delivered to the site of and raised into operative position adjacent a building structure, the elevator comprising an elevator shell, an elevator platform positioned within the shell, the elevator platform being provided each corner thereof with a guide wheel adapted to engage and ride against a corner structural element of the elevator shell,

Vthe elevator shell being supported in its inoperative horizontal delivery position by a tractor connection means located adjacent the lower operative end of the shell and by a Wheeled trailer frame located adjacent the upper operative end of the shell, a retractable supporting element positioned on the shell near but rearwardly .of said tractor connection means and adapted to support the lower operative end of the shell at the delivery site, a pivot arm pivotally connected at its ends respectively to the trailer frame and to the lower portion of the shell adjacent the retractable supporting element, a winch mounted on the trailer frame, and a cable interconnecting the winch and the lower operative end of the elevator shell and thereby adapted, when the cable is wound on the winch, to pull the lower operative end of the shell downwardly and to force upwardly the end of the pivot arm connected to the shell and thus raise the elevator shell to its operative position.

'5. A portable elevator adapted to be delivered to the site of and raised into operative position adjacent a building structure, the elevator comprising an elevator shell, an elevator platform positioned within the shell, the elevator platform being provided each corner thereof with a guide wheel adapted to engage and ride against a corner structural element `of the elevator shell, the elevator platform being provided with a lift bar secured only to the corners of the platform, the elevator shell being supported in its inoperative horizontal delivery position by a tractor connection means located adjacent the lower operative end of the shell and by a wheeled trailer frame located adjacent the upper operative end of the shell, a retractable supporting element positioned on the shell near but rearwardly of said tractor connection means and adapted to support the lower operative end of the shell at the delivery site, a pivot arm pivotally connected at its ends respectively to the trailer frame and to the lower portion of the shell adjacent the retractable supporting element, a winch mounted on the trailer frame, and a cable interconnecting the winch and the lower operative end of the elevator shell and thereby adapted, when the cable is wound on the winch, to pull the lower operative end of the shell downwardly and to force upwardly the end of the pivot arm connected to the shell and thus raise the elevator shell to its operative position.

6. A portable elevator adapted to be delivered to the site of and raised into .operative position adjacent a building structure, the elevator com-'- prising an elevator shell comprising longitudinal corner structural elements interconnected at spaced intervals with removable bracing elements, an elevator platform positioned Within the shell, the elevator platform being provided each corner thereof with a guide wheel adapted to engage and ride against a corner structural element of the elevator shell, the elevator platform being provided with a lift bar secured only to the corners of the platform, the elevator shell being supported in its inoperative horizontal delivery position by a tractor connection means located adjacent the lower operative end of the shell and by a Wheeled trailer frame located adjacent the upper operative end of the shell, a retractable supporting element positioned on the shell near but rearwardly of said tractor connection means and adapted to support the lower operative end of the shell at the delivery site, a pivot arm pivotally connected at its ends respectively to the trailer frame and to the lower portion of the shell adjacent the retractable supporting element, a winch mounted on the trailer frame, and a cable interconnecting the winch and the lower operative end of the elevator shell and thereby adapted, when the cable is wound on lthe Winch, to pull the lower operative end of the shell downwardly and to force upwardly the end of the pivot arm connected to the shell and thus raise the elevator shell to its operative position.

EDWARD A. VVHI'IE, J R.

No references cited. 

